


life is chances that are taken

by kurtbasthallen



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Eddie Thawne is the Green Lantern, Jay/Eddie friendship is my favourite thing and was unintentional lol, M/M, Mentioned Character Death, Post-2x02, Zoom wants Eddie to kill the Flash, all i know is what i got from wiki, but earth 2 green lantern did lose his boyfriend in an accident, idk much about the green lantern i'm sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-04 22:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5350655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurtbasthallen/pseuds/kurtbasthallen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>set after 2x02. eddie never expected to run into zoom. he certainly never expected to be told that he was being dropped in an alternate universe. he definitely never expected to be told that he was going to have to kill this universe's flash, or he'd never get home. the flash turning out to be the doppelganger of his dead ex-boyfriend was just the icing on the cake. eddie was screwed.</p><p>aka, eddie is the green lantern and got given his powers in the accident that killed his boyfriend moments before he was about to propose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i need you to trust that i am lost

Eddie stared up into the soulless eyes of a demon. He never expected to come across Zoom. He was happy in his corner of the world just trying to do his job while moonlighting as a superhero. Now, he was here being threatened by the Flash's enemy. Either he killed the Flash in an _alternate universe_ \- those things _existed_?! - or he would never be able to come home. He almost laughed, this demon was clearly crazy. But then a swirly thing appeared behind Zoom's head and all of this suddenly seemed like a reality. That wasn't normal. Apparently it was a portal to another universe. He really did need to kill that universe's Flash. He hadn't killed anyone in a long time. Could he really stomach killing someone again? He promised himself that he would be a better person for _him_. He had to be.

* * *

The next thing Eddie knew he was falling, and then he hit the floor with a crunch. "Ow," he muttered, lifting his aching body up and turning onto his back. What a graceful landing. He loved this universe already. Why couldn't he have landed somewhere soft? He reached up a hand to touch his forehead, causing him to wince a little at the pain. Moving his hand away, he noticed the blood on his fingertips. Head wounds always bled more than normal anyway. Nothing was broken, he'd be fine.

Eddie pushed his body off the floor and up onto his shaky legs. He needed to find out more about this universe. A library would be the best start, right? Right.

* * *

Getting a few strange looks off a librarian was the least of his worries. Some people kept on staring at him like they'd seen a ghost. Eventually, he had reached into his suit pocket to pull out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. He moved as quick as he could with his head down over towards a computer. He needed to research this universe's Flash as much as possible.

Bringing up the search engine, he typed 'the Flash' into it and came up with many articles about a man in a tight leather suit saving people. He even had his own holiday named after him? How pretentious. And a coffee special? Jesus, they seem to really love this guy!.

Eddie bit on his bottom lip as he discovered more and more about the superhero. He seemed different from the Flash from his universe. They had completely different uniforms, too.

 _I wonder if I exist here? I wonder if_ he _exists here. I can't imagine bumping into him. I'd probably do something stupid like run up to him and hug the ever-living daylights out of him. That would be a great introduction wouldn't it?_

Typing his own name into a search engine, he expected to find social media accounts. But what came up felt like a knife in the gut. 

_Detective Eddie Thawne gave his life in the line of duty after taking down the Reverse Flash..._

So, he was dead. His alternate self may have not been a superhero, but he was definitely a hero. Why did the Flash not kill this Reverse Flash? He felt angry on his alternate self's behalf. 

* * *

Mind made up, Eddie transformed into his suit and flew up into the air. All of his research seemed to suggest that the Flash was seen regularly heading in the direction of STAR Labs. Did this universe have an anti-matter wave that gave people powers, too? He remembered the broadcast of Dr Wells and the Flash having it out about the particle accelerator. So, that was where he was headed.

Eddie was becoming desperate. How could he get the Flash's attention? He couldn't exactly call him up, could he? Would he be able to kill him? Or maybe he should just ask the guy for help. His universe's Flash was a good guy from what he had heard. He had yet to meet him.

He landed on the ground in front of the entrance to the building and looked at it nervously. Could he just walk in there? Could he casually stroll into a building and ask a stranger for help? Would he be able to help? Did he even know about Zoom. He had to try, though. _He wouldn't want to see me turn into a killer._

Eddie positioned himself outside of the building and waited for the Flash to figure out he was here. He looked up around him and spotted a CCTV camera. He smiled and waved at it before leaning up against the wall and waited for someone to come out.

* * *

A perimeter alert went off in the main hub of the building. Cisco sat up straight in his chair and quickly shut the alarm off which caused a CCTV camera feed to pop up on the screen. "What the hell?" he muttered, as he noticed a man in, what looks to be, a green superhero suit. He had never seen this person before. The man had a mask covering his eyes so he couldn't run facial recognition on him... Was the guy waving at the camera?

"Er guys.. We have a visitor." Cisco stated looking up at the two men standing in front of him arguing and pointed at the screen in front of him.

Barry and Jay turned to look at him with looks of alarm before rushing around the console to look at the screen.

Jay's face turned to a look of confusion mixed with a hazy look of recognition. "I think I know who that is. He's a superhero on my world... But what is he doing here?" Jay crossed his arms across his chest as he scratched at his arm. This day was getting more and more weird.

"A superhero? But I thought Zoom was just dropping villains off here to try and kill me." Barry's eyebrows furrowed together as he tried to think through every possible scenario.

"He seems harmless enough. I mean, the guy was smiling and waving at the camera a minute ago," Cisco butted in, chuckling slightly.

Barry walked up to his suit on its dummy and quickly changed into it before turning back to the guys. "I'll go and see what he wants."

Jay reached up a hand to halt him before he raced off. "Just be careful, kid. I've heard of him but I've never actually met him."

Barry nodded before speeding off.

* * *

Eddie looked up when he heard a whoosh of wind fly past him, only to come face to face with the man that he had seen pictures of online. He smiled hesitantly at the man in front of him, raising his hands slightly in defense. "I'm not here to harm you," he stated evenly.

A weird look passed over the Flash's face. "Who are you?"

"I'm called the Green Lantern, and this may seem strange to you, but I'm from an alternate universe. A man named Zoom sent me here to kill you. But I'm no killer." _Not anymore._ "He said if I didn't kill you, he'd never send me home. I came here to ask for your help." Eddie seemed to let it all come out in one breath, desperate for the Flash to believe him and help him. There was something about the Flash that told him to trust him. It was a strange feeling. He didn't trust too easily. But, he knew that he needed this guy's help. And desperately.

"You're not the first person Zoom has dropped here. But, I'm just glad that you don't seem hell bent on killing me." The Flash grinned at him and laughed a little. "Come on inside."

* * *

 

Barry didn't know what was going through his mind but there was something about the man in front of him that was safe and familiar. He couldn't explain it. He couldn't see much of the other man's face as he followed him, there was a green mask covering up most of it, but he felt like he had met him before.

With the man behind him, they walked into the main part of the building and smiled slightly at the two people in front of him. "I take it you guys heard that over the comms?"

Jay nodded stiffly. "We did." He walked towards the Green Lantern and held out a hand. "We've never had the pleasure of being introduced, I'm Jay Garrick. We're from the same universe and I've heard about your escapades in Coast City."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Jay."

Barry had pulled his mask down, now that he knew that the Green Lantern was a friend and not a foe, and walked over to Jay becoming interested in the conversation and just how this guy was a hero.

* * *

 

Eddie looked away from Jay and over to the Flash again just as he walked up to them, causing his breath to catch in his throat. He couldn't believe his eyes. _Barry?!_

Without thinking, Eddie stepped forward and grabbed Barry by the back of the neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss.

He couldn't breathe. This had to be a dream. His Barry couldn't be back from the dead? He watched Barry die in his arms. They were going to have it all. They were going to become engaged and get married. And then everything was just ripped away from him.

Tears were streaming down Eddie's face, as he brushed his hands over Barry's cheeks and breathed in his familiar scent. God, he had missed him so fucking much. He had missed this. He had missed the closeness of the love of his life.

Eddie felt Barry pull back and let his mask disappear from his face.

* * *

 

Barry was in shock. One minute the new guy was talking to Jay and the next, he was kissing the life out of him? This was completely unexpected. Barry had never really had a preference when it came to the people he dated. But kissing a guy he had just met was a little out of character for him.

Finally, coming out of his shock, Barry pulled back from the kiss and opened his eyes. He wasn't even aware he had closed them. A familiar pair of blue eyes looked back at him out of a face that he had only seen in his dreams in the past 6 months. "Eddie?" _  
_

Barry felt his heart ache at the loss of one of his closest friends again. He still felt guilty over Eddie's death, and Eddie had slowly been becoming his best friend when he died.

_But this Green Lantern was Eddie? Also, Eddie just kissed me?!_

He was completely confused over this turn of events. Did he and Eddie date in this alternate universe? But Eddie also looked like he was about to cry. He recognised grief on a person's face when he saw it. Was he dead in this other universe? 

* * *

 

Eddie stared at Barry in front of him, his heart breaking all over again at the sight of his love's face. But, this wasn't his love. This was an alternate universe version of his boyfriend. His boyfriend was dead. The man that was going to be his husband was dead. You can't come back to life, Eddie. But Barry had the exact same face and all the same expressions as his deceased boyfriend.

"Bar? Is that really you?" Eddie's voice was hoarse as his gaze roamed over the beautiful face in front of him. He never thought he'd see that animated face ever again. A tear rolled down his cheek as he felt the familiar grief overtake him again.

"But, you're dead." Barry's face was one of disbelief.

"So, are you, Bar... It's so good to see you again." Eddie dropped his hands from where they were still awkwardly held up.

Cisco walked up to them, and kept flicking his gaze from one man to the other. "Okay, what's going on here? I'm sure we have all sorts of questions. Especially as to why you just kissed my friend here like it was your last day on earth, who you've just met. Oh, and why you have the face of someone who's dead."

Eddie moved his gaze from Barry to the long haired man beside him, laughing slightly. "Yes, erm... I'm Eddie. Eddie Thawne. I'm a Detective with the Coast City Police Department and by night I moonlight as the Green Lantern." His eyes flickered back to Barry who was staring at him with a blank expression, before dropping his gaze to his shoes. "On the same night I gained my powers a year ago,  I lost my boyfriend, Barry Allen, in an accident on the night that I was going to propose." He breathed out shakily before looking back up at Barry. "I'm sorry for just kissing you like that. You just remind me so much of my Barry and I miss him every day."

* * *

Barry listened to Eddie's story with a carefully blank face. His mind was racing, really, though. His doppelganger really was dating Eddie. They were about to get engaged? But him and Eddie? Sure, Eddie was a really handsome man who had a beautiful smile, but... What would it have been like if Eddie hadn't started dating Iris straight away? Barry did always have a thing for blondes.. First Felicity and Oliver, and now he was looking at Eddie in a different light.

His mind went back to the day of him and Eddie practicing boxing in his lab on the same week as his childhood bully coming back. He could still hear Eddie growling 'harder' at him. And the look on Eddie's face while he had said it. There were other times, now that he was looking back, when there had been a sort of tension between them that wasn't anger. When he had slammed Eddie against the wall after he had saved him from Captain Cold and Heatwave... The week that Joe had gone to Starling with Cisco to investigate more leads on Dr Wells... That entire week had made him realise how much he had come to care for Eddie...

Also, the grief that he had felt after Eddie's death. He had shoved everyone away. This wasn't his Eddie in front of him. But this Eddie had experienced the loss of him, too.

"It's okay. I understand more than anyone how grief can affect someone," Barry said with a reassuring but awkward looking smile.

Cisco rolled his eyes at the awkward tension building between the two men and stated loudly. "As fun as this conversation is, why don't we start figuring out how to get Eddie home, hmm?" 

 


	2. and i can almost feel your breath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one gets a little sad, I'm sorry :'(. I cried a little.

Eddie stared at the three men in front of him feeling completely out of his depth. They were trying to explain the events that preceded the portals between their worlds and the science knowledge was going over his head. He knew logically that he was in an alternate universe. Zoom had explained that before dropping him here. But it was fascinating to hear the how. Even if he didn't understand most of the terminology.

"So, your Eddie killed himself to stop the Reverse Flash from killing you all, because your Eddie was his ancestor... So killing himself made the Reverse Flash cease to exist which caused a paradox to appear above the city, but you and your friends ended up closing it. Then, this paradox opened up small portals across the city that connect our two universes? And that's how Zoom is transporting people to this universe?"

He was trying to make some sense of what was happening. He was glad that he had died a hero in this universe. He wondered what his doppelganger was like? Were they similar or were they completely different people? Was this Eddie also gay or was he straight? God, he couldn't imagine being straight. There was a time, when he was a teenager, that he would have given anything to be straight. Anything to be normal. But he was proud to be an openly gay man, now... Did this Eddie have a family? Was he close to his family?

He just really wanted to get to know the Eddie of this universe. It wasn't everyday that you could find out how different your life could be if one thing was even slightly different.

He wondered about Barry, too. Was this Barry also gay? Was he as flirty as his Barry? Was he a lovable sarcastic bastard but had a sweet and soft side when it came to the people he cared about? Or was he completely different? 

"That's the gist of it, yeah."

Eddie's gaze lifted to look into those familiar green eyes. He breathed out a little shakily, before turning away and fiddling with the ring on his finger. 

* * *

 

Before Barry's eyes, the Green Lantern's suit disappeared to reveal a suit similar to what their Eddie would have worn. He did say he was a detective, too. It made sense.

This was just as weird for Barry, as he imagined it could be for Eddie. In another universe he had dated Eddie. He would've ended up engaged to him and probably ended up married. A memory flashed before his eyes of his Eddie showing him the engagement ring he was going to use to propose to Iris, remembering how beautiful it was. It made him feel bittersweet. He wished that he could find someone who would love him like that. He thought that person would be Iris, but she just didn't seem to reciprocate his feelings. He couldn't wait around forever. There was the new person on the force, Patty, who he got along with. But what if she was another Felicity? God, he really seemed to have a thing for blondes, didn't he? Iris was the exception, but she'd always be the exception. She was his first crush, his first love, and she was completely beautiful. But, it just wasn't going to happen was it?

Talking of Iris, how was she going to react to this Eddie? It would be like seeing a ghost. Was this Eddie gay? Or was he bisexual? He didn't want Iris to go through all that heartbreak again. 

"Okay, Eddie... This is going to be so weird for me to call you that, I'm sorry... But _Green_ Lantern, really? Colours in a superhero name are just.. nuh-uh."

Barry rolled his eyes at Cisco's comment, laughing softly. He was always so possessive of naming superheros.

"Well, the Lantern just sounds lame in my eyes, and I've got to live with it."

Okay, he hadn't expected that sass from the other man, he thought, as his laughs grew louder. 

* * *

Seeing Barry again was bringing back all his memories of _his_ Barry. The more time he spent with him, the more he was trying to shove his memories away. He didn't want to break down in front of these people he'd only just met. That would be so embarrassing. But Barry smiling at him and laughing was bringing memories to the surface.

How he first met his Barry.

Their first date.

The first time they slept together.

Meeting Barry's parents.

Moving in together.

Going to work every day and seeing Barry there.

The way that Barry's eyes would light up and a little smug smile that would appear whenever he discovered something in his work.

Going out and buying the ring.

Deciding to go on holiday to Hong Kong together.

The accident.

Losing Barry.

Gaining his powers.

Hurting people.

Grief.

He really missed Barry.

* * *

_"You'll love where we're going, Eddie."_

_Eddie looked up from the book he was reading to see his boyfriend reading through a tourist brochure on the seat beside him. They were currently on a bullet train heading to their holiday destination. He'd never expected to go on holiday to Hong Kong, but Barry's Mom had always been a keen explorer and had taken her family on many trips around the world. He stared at his boyfriend's animated face; his sparkling green eyes and wide smile, and couldn't help his own answering smile. God, he was going to marry this man._

_"Honestly, Bar, I'd love anywhere as long as I was with you."_

_The eye roll Barry gave him made him laugh, a little._

_"You've turned me into a sap, Allen. Congratulations."_

_Barry's face broke into a soft smile and slid closer to Eddie, so they were pressed up close to each other. "I'm not complaining."_

_Eddie put his arm around Barry's shoulder and pulled him in closer, leaning his head on top of Barry's._

_"The lodge is beautiful," Barry went on. He could just imagine the content smile on his face right now. It was similar to the one he had on his own face. "Breathtaking forest views and I made sure that we got a whole wing to ourselves so we'll have lots of privacy."_

_He moved his head and looked down at the man in his arms. Barry was now looking at him with a dirty smirk and he couldn't help but look back in kind. His arm slipped down around his waist and placed his hand underneath Barry's shirt, feeling the warm skin of his stomach. He really wanted to marry this man. He couldn't wait until they got to the lodge. He could feel the ring burning a hole in his pocket and he just wanted to pop the question now._

_Eddie chewed on his lower lip, before he decided to pull away and look at Barry properly in the eyes. "Bar, I was going to wait until we got there.. but I feel like I've waited long enough and I just can't wait any longer..." He reached into his jacket pocket behind him and hid the box behind his back. "I love you, Bar. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You love me and my flaws, not despite them. You never moan when I get really picky about the food I eat. You never complain when I have a down day and just need to be left alone. Or even when I just want a cuddle." He could feel his hands shaking and his breathing was becoming a little erratic as he pulled the box out from behind him. He popped the lid on the box and looked up into the astonished green eyes before him. Eddie's gaze roamed over the love of his life's face and smiled a big smile, before taking a deep breath. "I love you so much, Bartholomew Henry Allen. Will you do the honour of marrying me, Edward Richard Thawne, and become my husb-"_

_Eddie never heard Barry's answer._

_There was a loud boom and then there was nothing._

_The last thing he ever saw of Barry was the happy tear-stained face of the man who would never become his husband._

* * *

 

Eddie was jolted out of his memory by a ghost.

Barry was standing in front of him. But it wasn't his Barry. His Barry was dead.

Eddie could feel a cool breeze on his face from the building's air conditioning. He was crying.

The man in front of him was staring at him with concern and it broke his heart all over again.

He needed to get out of there.

"I need some air."

His voice was a croak.

Eddie turned tail and ran out of the building.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just fyi, earth 2 barry is different to our barry. that barry is like a cross between barry and sebastian smythe (grant's character in glee) and earth 2 barry's mom never died so he was raised by both his parents.  
> i hope you guys enjoy it :3. i appreciate each and every one's of you guys' comments. even suggestions for what you'd like to happen in this fic are welcome :*  
> love you guys x


	3. they're just pieces on the ground

Back inside the cortex, the three men were still staring at the entrance, surprised at his abrupt exit. Eddie had gone quiet for awhile while they had been talking and Barry had become worried when his face had gone blank. He was still shocked over Eddie being here. Well, it wasn't their Eddie. But this man was so alike their own Eddie that it was almost painful.

"This isn't weird at all."

Barry turned around to look at Cisco, raising an eyebrow. He shook his head, chuckling. "I can't believe I dated Eddie in another universe."

Cisco wiggled his eyebrows, grinning at his friend. "Well, you do seem to have a thing for blondes. And there always seemed to be this tension between you and Eddie so I'm not that surprised."

Barry's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Tension?"

Cisco sighed before moving around his console, walking closer to Barry. "Yeah, a tension. I don't know how to explain it but it was always there."

Jay watched on in amusement as he watched the two men converse. He was still new to this Earth and the two men in front of him, but he liked to think of himself as an open-minded individual. Plus, the things he'd heard about the Green Lantern had all been positive. Maybe he should talk to him. They were both in an unique position to understand each other. He left the cortex, leaving Barry and Cisco to their banter.

Eddie had his back up against the wall, in the same position that Barry had found him in earlier, but he was now holding his head in his hands, breathing heavily. He looked up when he heard footsteps, hoping that it wasn't Barry. He breathed a sigh of relief when he recognised Jay from earlier, smiling weakly.

"You doing okay?"

Eddie's head thunked back against the brick wall, closing his eyes tightly. "I just needed some air," he muttered. It was only a half-lie.

"I understand. It can be overwhelming when you've been dropped off in a place that's familiar but not your own. Although, I haven't met anyone that I knew on our Earth yet, so I can't imagine how you must be feeling."

Raising his head up, he looked up at the tall man before him. He had kind eyes. "It's just a bit much. I had come to terms with the fact that I'd never see my Barry again. But it's like the world hasn't shit on me enough in one lifetime. Hey, why not drop me off on his doppelganger's doorstep instead." His breathing was becoming heavier as he didn't stop for breath. He ran a hand down his face, pressing his thumbs into his eyes. He wasn't going to cry. He wasn't.

"Barry could be different, you know. This Barry could have different experiences that shape who he is. Maybe, he's completely different. It might be easier to talk to him, if that's true."

Eddie's laugh was pained. "Oh, I don't think that much could change about Barry, no matter what universe I'm in. But I hope so."

Jay stared at the other man, seeing that he still wasn't okay, and came to a decision. He didn't know much about this Eddie or the Eddie of this world. All he knew of the Eddie of this world was that he had died and Barry and Cisco had known him. He was intrigued about the Green Lantern, though. "How about we get out of here and go for a coffee? We can get to know each other a bit more."

Eddie looked over Jay, taking him in. He seemed like a nice enough guy. But what was he doing in this Earth if he was from his own Earth? "I'd like that."

* * *

 

The two men walked into Jitters, Jay practically forcing Eddie to sit down once he'd found out his coffee order. Jay was going to pay and Eddie was going to rest. He still looked roughed up, from either Zoom or his landing in this Earth. Jay could still remember his own rough landing. A phantom pain shot up his arm at the memory of breaking it.

Eddie gratefully sat down on one of the comfy chairs surrounding a small table. He hadn't realised how much he was hurting until this moment. The adrenaline must be wearing off. He still couldn't believe he was in an alternate universe where Barry was alive. It just reminded him of how much he missed him. 

A paper cup was placed in front of him followed by a tall man in the chair opposite. Eddie picked up the drink and smiled at Jay, thankfully. "Thanks," he said before taking a small sip of his drink. 

Jay shrugged his shoulders, smiling back. "Think nothing of it. It's the least I could do."

Eddie bit his lip, as he thought on that. "Why did you come here, then?" Eddie was the Green Lantern, it made sense as to why he got dropped off here. But, was Jay another hero like himself or was he someone evil who was going to hurt Barry. He wouldn't be able to stand for someone hurting Barry. It may not be his Barry, but it was a Barry. 

Jay's lips curled into a small smile. "Well, I'm actually the Flash in our world."

Eddie's eyes widened in surprise, choking a little on his coffee. "Really? I heard about your fight with Zoom and assumed the worst when you disappeared six months ago. I'm actually a big fan." The Flash was one of the heroes that he looked up to and aspired to be like. He wasn't proud of the way he acted when he first got his powers but he wanted to be better. 

Jay's smile turned pained, looking down at his own cup in his hands. "I fell through the first breach into this world while fighting Zoom but I somehow lost my speed."

Eddie looked upon him with a sympathetic expression. Now he had his powers, he couldn't imagine going back to being ordinary. He felt bad for the other man. "I'm sorry to hear that, Jay."

Jay shrugged his shoulders before looking back up at Eddie. "It is what it is."

Eddie took another sip of his drink. "So, you've been here ever since?" How long had he known Barry? Was Barry like his memory? Or was he completely didferent?

He nodded, a small smile curving his lips. "I have. I'm also starting to help out Barry with his problem of people from our earth dropping out of the sky and trying to kill him."

Eddie bit down on his bottom lip. He started to chew on it as he though over that. Of course, Barry had all of these unknown enemies trying to kill him. As well as Zoom. He didn't know if he could see Barry die again. It killed him enough the first time. Could he live with himself if he knew that another Barry had died and it was their fault because it was their world?

How would Eddie react if he knew that it was technically his doppelgänger's fault that the breaches even existed in the first place. If the Eddie of this Earrth hadn't shot himself and caused a paradox, then neither men would be here. But Eddie doesn't know that. 

A quiet voice interrupted their conversation, coming from over Eddie's shoulder. "Eddie?"

Eddie vaguely recognised that voice. He knew he knew that voice from somewhere. His eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Jay was looking over his shoulder with a worried look. Did she know this earth's Eddie, too?

Turning in his seat slowly, his gaze looked up to meet the eyes of a familiar woman. "Iris?" He hadn't seen her in a long time, he thought guiltily. Not since Barry. 

Iris' eyes widened, her bottom lip trembling. "Wh- How?" She moved forward until she was right in front of him, her gaze moving over Eddie like she didn't know where she wanted to look more. 

Eddie stood up to face her, feeling slightly awkward. Did this Iris know him, too? Of course, his doppelgänger was her father's partner on the force. Of course she's know who he his. "It's complicated," he replied awkwardly. Did Iris know about the breaches? Surely, she would know Barry is the Flash if they were half as close as his own Barry and Iris had been. He turned back to Jay, his expression screaming, 'help me!'

Jay stood up and walked around the table to stand next to Eddie. "Iris, Eddie is from my Earth. He's not the Eddie you know."

Iris' gaze flickered back and forth between Eddie and Jay, her face crumpling further. She wasn't going to cry, she wasn't. But an alternate Eddie? She turned back to stare at Eddie, drinking him in. God, she had missed him so much. Seeing his handsome face and his bright eyes was like a stab to the heart. "Why are- Why are you here?" Were they together in their universe? Did they get that happy ending?

Eddie sighed loudly, gripping onto the paper cup he was still holding, tightly. "Zoom sent me here to kill The Flash. But I can't do that, I can't kill Barry." His voice broke towards the end. 

Iris took a step back at his words. Did that mean he was some sort of super villain? Zoom had only dropped off other villains so far. Her eyes narrowed, feeling protective of her foster brother. "So you usually kill people, then?"

Eddie stared at Iris in disbelief. "What? No! Of course not! I'm a hero on my Earth and he thought I'd be desperate enough to get home." Not that there's much left for me back home. Just a job he was becoming tired of. Going home to an empty apartment. Wallowing in self pity. His alter ego was the only thing that was keeping him going, if he were being honest. 

A hero? Eddie had been her hero. She could still hear his last words echoing back to her. ' _I guess I'm a hero, after all. That's all I ever wanted to be.'_ She could still hear his anguished voice breaking. His eyes almost glazed over with pain and tears. 

"I have to go," Iris whispered before she turned to walk away. She didn't want to cry in public. She wasn't going to. She wanted to know about this Eddie's life. But he hadn't exactly been overjoyed to see her. She had been torn between awe and disbelief when she had received the text from one of her old colleagues that she had sworn that she had seen her dead ex boyfriend. Now she wasn't sure what to feel. She had been happy to see Eddie again. But the grief she had felt was too much. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gah I had real trouble with this chapter, I'm sorry. also I promise this won't turn out to be Jay/Eddie. I just followed the muse and it screamed for their friendship. poor Eddie still had no idea about Eddie and Iris' relationship. bless *pats head*  
> also I've been thinking about starting a fic where Barry and Sebastian Smythe (grants character in glee) are twins and I think I have a good idea for how this will happen? it all stemmed from me wanting Seb meeting and hitting on Eddie lolol  
> IM STILL PISSED OFF AT THE QUANTICO WINTER FINALE OH MY GOD. I CANT BELIEVE THEY FUCKING DID THAT.


End file.
